Friday, March 12, 2010
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Saturday, January 9, 2010
East Point moving forward on finances
By April Hunt
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
3:13 p.m. Saturday, January 9, 2010
East Point's mayor won’t veto another move by the City Council to borrow money to keep the city running this year.
But after getting an overview of city finances from an outside auditor Saturday morning, Earnestine Pittman said she would prefer the city borrow only enough to pay $6 million in bond payments due next month.
Beyond that, the city should make whatever cuts are needed to operate only on the money it collects.
“If we borrow any amount, we have to know how we are positioned to pay for it at the end of the year and also meet our obligations during the year,” Pittman said. “We are going to get that figured out and live within our means.”
East Point spent the past two years trying to get closer to doing just that after years of running in the red.
City reports showed it ended the fiscal year midpoint on Dec. 31 with a carefully crafted $933,000 surplus. But tax collections fell more than $2 million short, wiping out that extra money.
And with the bond payments due in February, City Manager Crandall O. Jones warned last week that there wasn’t enough cash on hand to pay that bill and other city expenses.
The City Council approved pursuing an $8 million note last week. That tax-anticipation note would keep the city in the black and be paid back by Dec. 31 with 2010 tax revenues.
Pittman vetoed the move, though, saying it was unclear the city would have enough money in December to pay all its debts.
That forecast remained foggy Saturday.
Auditor Michael Forsythe said several outstanding issues -- including how much the city should pay yearly for post-employment benefits such as health insurance for retirees and how the city calculates overhead charges to its utility services -- have kept his office from creating a financial snapshot of the year that ended June 30.
Forsythe will have those figures in a draft audit Jan. 25. But he said he was pleased with what he had been able to review in city accounts so far.
“It’s looking very positive,” Forsythe said. “We are seeing improvement.”
Armed with that encouragement, the City Council is slated to take up the issue again during a special meeting Monday night.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
3:13 p.m. Saturday, January 9, 2010
East Point's mayor won’t veto another move by the City Council to borrow money to keep the city running this year.
But after getting an overview of city finances from an outside auditor Saturday morning, Earnestine Pittman said she would prefer the city borrow only enough to pay $6 million in bond payments due next month.
Beyond that, the city should make whatever cuts are needed to operate only on the money it collects.
“If we borrow any amount, we have to know how we are positioned to pay for it at the end of the year and also meet our obligations during the year,” Pittman said. “We are going to get that figured out and live within our means.”
East Point spent the past two years trying to get closer to doing just that after years of running in the red.
City reports showed it ended the fiscal year midpoint on Dec. 31 with a carefully crafted $933,000 surplus. But tax collections fell more than $2 million short, wiping out that extra money.
And with the bond payments due in February, City Manager Crandall O. Jones warned last week that there wasn’t enough cash on hand to pay that bill and other city expenses.
The City Council approved pursuing an $8 million note last week. That tax-anticipation note would keep the city in the black and be paid back by Dec. 31 with 2010 tax revenues.
Pittman vetoed the move, though, saying it was unclear the city would have enough money in December to pay all its debts.
That forecast remained foggy Saturday.
Auditor Michael Forsythe said several outstanding issues -- including how much the city should pay yearly for post-employment benefits such as health insurance for retirees and how the city calculates overhead charges to its utility services -- have kept his office from creating a financial snapshot of the year that ended June 30.
Forsythe will have those figures in a draft audit Jan. 25. But he said he was pleased with what he had been able to review in city accounts so far.
“It’s looking very positive,” Forsythe said. “We are seeing improvement.”
Armed with that encouragement, the City Council is slated to take up the issue again during a special meeting Monday night.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
East Point finances again under threat
East Point finances again under threat
By April Hunt
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
4:24 p.m. Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Minutes after a swearing-in ceremony filled with promises of cooperation and unity, East Point’s City Council and mayor were at loggerheads Monday night that may shatter the city’s frail financial stability.
At issue is $8 million that staff recommends the city borrow to run operations for the coming year – and to pay a $6 million capital bond next month.
The council voted 5-2 to authorize staff to begin shopping for the best rates for the borrowing. Council members Myron Cook and Marcel Reed dissented, with Councilman Steve Bennett absent.
Mayor Earnestine Pittman warned the council just before that vote that she would veto the move, saying the city did not have enough information to warrant action Monday.
For instance, she said, staffers could not pinpoint exactly how much the city should borrow, prompting the authorization for the tax anticipation note, or TAN, to be for up to $8 million, though less if needed.
“We will issue a TAN when we know how much we have to issue it for,” Pittman said. “This is too important an issue to rush into without all of the information.”
Pittman is holding a community breakfast on Saturday with the city’s auditors, hoping to get additional data.
But her veto means the council cannot consider letting staff compare rates until its next meeting in two weeks.
Unless the council can approve the actual borrowing within a week after that, City Manager Crandall O. Jones said East Point could miss its $6 million payment due in February. Doing so wouldn't hurt the city's credit rating -- it doesn't have one -- but it could torpedo hopes to finally earn a solid rating from credit agencies.
“We need to get the TAN in January,” Jones said. “Otherwise, we run the risk of defaulting by not having enough cash on hand.”
The threat of tipping back into the red comes just two weeks after Jones and outgoing Mayor Joe Macon touted ending 2009 with a surplus.
The City Council transferred $4 million from a utility trust fund to do so, still expecting $12 million to come in by Dec. 31 from property taxes.
But Jones said Monday after the council meeting that the tax collections fell short by $2 million. That erases the $933,000 surplus and creates yet another hole for a city that has struggled with finances for years.
No staffers presented those figures to the council on Monday. But the majority of the board still supported letting staff pursue borrowing, without knowing details.
“There is a slight possibility we may not need that much, but we need to pursue pricing and terms,” said Councilman Lance Rhodes.
Because few council members will be able to attend Saturday’s meeting, the council unanimously agreed to have a meeting on Jan. 25 with the auditors.
The session is now planned to be a nonvoting meeting, though Pittman said she would work to make sure the council had enough information to act by the month’s end.
“We will get it done,” she said.
By April Hunt
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
4:24 p.m. Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Minutes after a swearing-in ceremony filled with promises of cooperation and unity, East Point’s City Council and mayor were at loggerheads Monday night that may shatter the city’s frail financial stability.
At issue is $8 million that staff recommends the city borrow to run operations for the coming year – and to pay a $6 million capital bond next month.
The council voted 5-2 to authorize staff to begin shopping for the best rates for the borrowing. Council members Myron Cook and Marcel Reed dissented, with Councilman Steve Bennett absent.
Mayor Earnestine Pittman warned the council just before that vote that she would veto the move, saying the city did not have enough information to warrant action Monday.
For instance, she said, staffers could not pinpoint exactly how much the city should borrow, prompting the authorization for the tax anticipation note, or TAN, to be for up to $8 million, though less if needed.
“We will issue a TAN when we know how much we have to issue it for,” Pittman said. “This is too important an issue to rush into without all of the information.”
Pittman is holding a community breakfast on Saturday with the city’s auditors, hoping to get additional data.
But her veto means the council cannot consider letting staff compare rates until its next meeting in two weeks.
Unless the council can approve the actual borrowing within a week after that, City Manager Crandall O. Jones said East Point could miss its $6 million payment due in February. Doing so wouldn't hurt the city's credit rating -- it doesn't have one -- but it could torpedo hopes to finally earn a solid rating from credit agencies.
“We need to get the TAN in January,” Jones said. “Otherwise, we run the risk of defaulting by not having enough cash on hand.”
The threat of tipping back into the red comes just two weeks after Jones and outgoing Mayor Joe Macon touted ending 2009 with a surplus.
The City Council transferred $4 million from a utility trust fund to do so, still expecting $12 million to come in by Dec. 31 from property taxes.
But Jones said Monday after the council meeting that the tax collections fell short by $2 million. That erases the $933,000 surplus and creates yet another hole for a city that has struggled with finances for years.
No staffers presented those figures to the council on Monday. But the majority of the board still supported letting staff pursue borrowing, without knowing details.
“There is a slight possibility we may not need that much, but we need to pursue pricing and terms,” said Councilman Lance Rhodes.
Because few council members will be able to attend Saturday’s meeting, the council unanimously agreed to have a meeting on Jan. 25 with the auditors.
The session is now planned to be a nonvoting meeting, though Pittman said she would work to make sure the council had enough information to act by the month’s end.
“We will get it done,” she said.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Start of new era for East Point
Earnestine Pittman to be sworn in as mayor
By April Hunt
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
1:16 p.m. Monday, January 4, 2010
A new mayor and new direction for East Point begins Monday night 1/4 in East Point.
Candidate Earnestine Pittman was openly critical of the financial recovery plan touted by then-mayor Joe Macon and city Manager Crandall O. Jones.
As mayor, Pittman is expected to touch on her doubts about the success of that plan – which city officials last week showed would put the city in the black for 2009 – following a swearing-in ceremony tonight.
“I really do not have faith in the financial reports that are being given,” the 63-year-old former math teacher said. “I am waiting for the reports from outside auditors to get a real idea of what is going on.”
Jones was a hot topic during the election. Macon cast the tie-breaking vote to hire Jones permanently last June, after he served 22 months as interim manager.
Pittman voted against hiring Jones. Last week, she said she had no intention to push for Jones’ removal but said she expected voters would hold her, council and staff accountable for any financial missteps.
For instance, East Point released a report in November that showed residents owe the city more than $487,000 because of chronic underbilling for electric service.
The issue surfaced after residents complained for months about the utility’s budget billing process. Budget billing allows customers to pay a set amount for service every month, based on the previous year's consumption instead of actual use.
Still, Jones recommended the city try to collect from those who owe. Pittman believes the city has no choice but to write off the bulk of the debt. A decision on what happens next will be up to City Council.
“Our own policy says the city cannot go back more than three months on a billing error,” Pittman said. “The city has lost $400,000 and it is not the residents’ fault. This falls clearly at the feet of management and council.”
Such blunt criticism is a trademark of Pittman’s approach to politics. She was known to critique other council members from the dais before she stepped down last year to run for mayor. She also mailed out a newsletter, called the Pittman Report, with her take on the city’s latest ails.
There was no shortage of controversies. The city has run in the red for years, at its worst an $11 million deficit.
As the recovery plan was implemented during the last two years, the city cut back on jobs and services to save money, moves that drew angry rebukes from citizens.
Macon hinted at Pittman’s behavior, and that of supporters, in his last meeting as mayor.
“To attack staff or other council members to try to make a point, it shows weakness of character,” he said. “In order for us to really move forward as a city, that’s going to have to stop.”
Pittman, who was not in the room during Macon’s comments, shrugs off such comments.
The policy decisions will fall on council, though she said she will not hesitate to veto any measure she deems not in the best interest of the city.
By charter, she said, she will leave the day-to-day work to Jones and his staff. As mayor, she leads council meetings but can vote only in a tie. The charter also gives the mayor three days after council action to veto a measure.
Pittman said she is eager to work with both council and staff to work on her priorities: continue repairs to the city’s finances and to also begin a physical clean-up of roads and neighborhoods.
“There is nothing that I can personally grant or do that is binding,” Pittman said. “As mayor, I am a member of council, and I am going to work with anyone who is willing to work for the betterment of the city.”
By April Hunt
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
1:16 p.m. Monday, January 4, 2010
A new mayor and new direction for East Point begins Monday night 1/4 in East Point.
Candidate Earnestine Pittman was openly critical of the financial recovery plan touted by then-mayor Joe Macon and city Manager Crandall O. Jones.
As mayor, Pittman is expected to touch on her doubts about the success of that plan – which city officials last week showed would put the city in the black for 2009 – following a swearing-in ceremony tonight.
“I really do not have faith in the financial reports that are being given,” the 63-year-old former math teacher said. “I am waiting for the reports from outside auditors to get a real idea of what is going on.”
Jones was a hot topic during the election. Macon cast the tie-breaking vote to hire Jones permanently last June, after he served 22 months as interim manager.
Pittman voted against hiring Jones. Last week, she said she had no intention to push for Jones’ removal but said she expected voters would hold her, council and staff accountable for any financial missteps.
For instance, East Point released a report in November that showed residents owe the city more than $487,000 because of chronic underbilling for electric service.
The issue surfaced after residents complained for months about the utility’s budget billing process. Budget billing allows customers to pay a set amount for service every month, based on the previous year's consumption instead of actual use.
Still, Jones recommended the city try to collect from those who owe. Pittman believes the city has no choice but to write off the bulk of the debt. A decision on what happens next will be up to City Council.
“Our own policy says the city cannot go back more than three months on a billing error,” Pittman said. “The city has lost $400,000 and it is not the residents’ fault. This falls clearly at the feet of management and council.”
Such blunt criticism is a trademark of Pittman’s approach to politics. She was known to critique other council members from the dais before she stepped down last year to run for mayor. She also mailed out a newsletter, called the Pittman Report, with her take on the city’s latest ails.
There was no shortage of controversies. The city has run in the red for years, at its worst an $11 million deficit.
As the recovery plan was implemented during the last two years, the city cut back on jobs and services to save money, moves that drew angry rebukes from citizens.
Macon hinted at Pittman’s behavior, and that of supporters, in his last meeting as mayor.
“To attack staff or other council members to try to make a point, it shows weakness of character,” he said. “In order for us to really move forward as a city, that’s going to have to stop.”
Pittman, who was not in the room during Macon’s comments, shrugs off such comments.
The policy decisions will fall on council, though she said she will not hesitate to veto any measure she deems not in the best interest of the city.
By charter, she said, she will leave the day-to-day work to Jones and his staff. As mayor, she leads council meetings but can vote only in a tie. The charter also gives the mayor three days after council action to veto a measure.
Pittman said she is eager to work with both council and staff to work on her priorities: continue repairs to the city’s finances and to also begin a physical clean-up of roads and neighborhoods.
“There is nothing that I can personally grant or do that is binding,” Pittman said. “As mayor, I am a member of council, and I am going to work with anyone who is willing to work for the betterment of the city.”
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
7th Annual Jefferson Park Tour of Homes & Gardens
Saturday, Oct 10th-11th 11a - 5p
near Jefferson Avenue Baptist Church (1150 Jefferson Avenue), East Point, GA
7th Annual Jefferson Park Tour of Homes & Gardens will showcase of variety of architectural styles and design ideas. The tour will also include an artist market and food court. All proceeds will benefit the Jefferson Park Neighbors' Association and will support charitable and neighborhood beautification efforts.
Price: $12 in Advance, $15 tour days
Phone: (404) 583-1536
Age Suitability: Adult, but children are welcome!
This year's tour consists of ten stops: Tour Central, Jefferson Avenue Baptist Church, one beautiful garden, and seven extraordinary homes! The Artist Market is filled with passionately crafted items you are surely to love! Stop by the Raffle Booth to try your hand at winning a Delta flight experience, items for your home or garden, or gift certificates at local restaurants! Visit our food court to sample fantastic food prepared by our neighborhood's very own talented chefs and cooks! Come and join us; you won't regret it!!!!
near Jefferson Avenue Baptist Church (1150 Jefferson Avenue), East Point, GA
7th Annual Jefferson Park Tour of Homes & Gardens will showcase of variety of architectural styles and design ideas. The tour will also include an artist market and food court. All proceeds will benefit the Jefferson Park Neighbors' Association and will support charitable and neighborhood beautification efforts.
Price: $12 in Advance, $15 tour days
Phone: (404) 583-1536
Age Suitability: Adult, but children are welcome!
This year's tour consists of ten stops: Tour Central, Jefferson Avenue Baptist Church, one beautiful garden, and seven extraordinary homes! The Artist Market is filled with passionately crafted items you are surely to love! Stop by the Raffle Booth to try your hand at winning a Delta flight experience, items for your home or garden, or gift certificates at local restaurants! Visit our food court to sample fantastic food prepared by our neighborhood's very own talented chefs and cooks! Come and join us; you won't regret it!!!!
Sunday, October 4, 2009
A Haunted House
Cameron Academy and CCP Events present
A Haunted House
Fridays and Saturdays
Oct 10 th - Oct 31st
8:00 PM - until Midnight
Adults $10.00 and Students $5.00
Where: Cameron Academy
1312 Knotts Ave
East Point, GA 30344
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